Infogation Corporation

Kent Qing Pu

Hui Henry Li

David Thieme

Ivan Angelov

Pavel Stankoulov

David Hetherington

Akmad Alkhatib

Marc-Andre Schier

Techniques for navigating an artistic map are disclosed. The artistic map is often non-linear scaled, which means the map includes various objects being exaggeratedly shown. When a point of an object is selected as a destination, the coordinates of the point is captured. The coordinates of the point are then transformed to a physical point represented by latitude and longitude. A direction from a current location to the physical point is determined. Subsequently, the direction is modified or transformed in accordance with the map being displayed.

Method and apparatus for navigating on artistic maps

A client navigation system establishes a wireless connection to a navigation server on a computer network. The client requests a route by uploading start and destination specifications. The server calculates an optimal route based on real-time data available on the network. A generic natural language description is used to specify the optimal route downloaded to the client. The natural language description is a plain text description for each link using pre-defined generic terms. The client interprets the route, interfaces with the local mapping data and reconstructs the optimal route. The route is subsequently displayed and highlighted on the client.

Mobile navigation system operating with a remote server

A client navigation system establishes a wireless connection to a navigation server on a computer network. The client requests a route by uploading start and stop specifications. The server calculates an optimal route based on real-time data available on the network. A generic natural language description is used to specify the optimal route downloaded to the client. The natural language description is independent from the local mapping database software on the client and includes a plain text description for each link using pre-defined generic terms. The client interprets the route, interfaces with the local mapping database and reconstructs the optimal route using a mapping reconstruction algorithm. The route is displayed on the client navigation system using whatever mapping database is present.

Improved designs of navigation devices or systems are disclosed. A navigation device presents a digital map resembling an ambient environment with a certain level of realism, where various objects resembling major structures or signs are presented or superimposed in the map. Depending on the time of the day or the weather condition of the time, the map or the objects therein is caused to be altered correspondingly in a tone that reflects the time or weather.

GPS map resembling ambient environment

An interior rear-view mirror for cars is so designed that a portable GPS device may be readily mounted on. Depending on implementation, a portable GPS device may be slid in or clipped onto a rear-view mirror.

Method for providing removable GPS device in rear-view car mirror

Electronically generated realistic-like map

Rear-view car mirror for accommodating a GPS device

An improved user interface for data input without the use of a standard keyboard is provided. Input is accepted through a data entry means such as a shuttle control system, a standard telephone keypad, or a speech recognition system. The data that is entered is selected from a predefined list that is presented to a user in an arrangement that statistically reduces the number of keystrokes required for data entry. This presentation is the result of determining the relative frequency of each valid selection in the predefined list and presenting those valid selections with the highest frequency items in a position that minimizes the number keystrokes required for data entry. In a speech recognition embodiment, the data entered is selected from an active list containing unique sounding entries. Alternatively, the data entered may be selected by speaking the numbers associated with the keys corresponding to the keystrokes required for data entry.

Dynamic key assignment in key pad

System and method for dynamic key assignment in enhanced user interface

Computer-assisted navigation is achieved with component-oriented programming and instructions that provide a distributed component programming navigation system. The computer-assisted navigation is achieved with a computing device including a logical data model configured to provide abstract interfaces in a process to convert a format and data model of a provider to an appropriate format and data model suitable for the computing device, wherein the process occurs on demand, only when needed, or the conversion occurs in accordance with the format and data model of the provider, and at download time or at an initial processing time. As a result, such a computing device can be advantageously used many environments including a distributed navigation system.

Extensible navigation systems

Computer-assisted navigation is achieved with component-oriented programming and instructions that provide a distributed component programming navigation system. The computer-assisted navigation is achieved with a computing device having program memory. Operationally, the component-oriented application loaded in the memory provides a distributed navigation system comprising a User Interface component, a Service Manager component, a User Positioning category of components that provides a user position based on navigation sensor data, and a Mapping category of components that accesses a map database and places the user position on a road segment of the map database. The components within the component-oriented application are managed by the service manager component to perform distributed navigation services.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Kent Qing Pu